Not Part of the Deal

Chapter 4 ~ Nadia's New News

The hot, soapy water scalded my hand as I scrubbed the dishes, grimy with leftover food particles.  I pushed back a stray strand of hair using my wrist, so as not to get it wet, but trying was futile.  It swung back before I could even blink.  

Aunt Karen sat at the table, clicking away at her phone with her perfectly manicured nails.  She really looked nothing like my mother.  In fact, you probably wouldn't be able to find two more opposite people anywhere on the planet!  Just about the only things they had in common were their deceased mother, their pale skin, and their undying love for a nice piece of fried chicken.

I cleared my throat before speaking. "So, Aunt Karen, when did you get the long hair?"

The water dripping from the faucet was audible as she punched the little buttons on her cell.  She tucked a strand of her own long, red hair behind her ear and gave me a wide, foxy smile.

"Well," she started. "If you must know, I got my extensions about a month or so ago.  I was walking in a prak when I saw a statue of an elf.  I decided her hair made her look young, so, voila.  Fascinating, aren't I?  Do you like it? Tell me you like it, darling." 

She flipped a strand of the aforementioned hair behind her shoulder.  Smiling, I answered her. "I love it. It looks great on you."

"Fantastic! I decided I was going to get you some for your birthday!" she exclaimed before turning her attention back to her phone.

"Ha. Yay...!" I said halfheartedly, a smile plastered onto my face.  I couldn't tell if she noticed, but my hair was plenty long.  Actually, I'd been thinking about having it cut short.  A sigh escaped my lips as I continued to wash the dishes with my one good arm.  Bubbles sloshed around and I was just beginning to dry the last cup when the phone rang.

The cup dropped back into the sink with a plop as I reached for the phone, hanging on the wall.  With trembling fingers, I picked up the phone.

"Hello?" I said, crossing my fingers over my heart and praying that everything was all right.

"Nadia?" came a familiar voice.  I let out a sigh of relief, thankful it wasn't the doctor, yet frustrated because that meant I still didn't know what was going on with her.

"Oh, hey Tonia.  It's me." I hoped my exhaustion wasn't terribly evident in my voice.

"Hey, where were you today? I can't believe your mom let you skip first day." Tonia whined into the phone.

"Don't worry about it. I broke my arm."

Tonia gasped, "Are you okay? How on EARTH did you break your freakin' arm? Oooh! What color is the cast? Has anyone signed it yet? I call being the first!"

I laughed at her rushed outburst before answering her questions in order with a smile. "I'm okay-ish, considering my arm hurts like hell.  I kind of fell out of a tree.  My cast is disgutingly pink, unsigned, and yes, I promise you'll be the first to sign it."

"I better be. Are you going to be at school tomorrow?" Tonia asked.  I could practically hear her smiling, and it was contagious.

"Nah, I don't think so.  Ton, my mom is in the hospital," I gushed, my smile vanishing.

"Ohmigosh! Why! Did she fall ou of a tree too?"

"No.  She collapsed at the hospital.  The doctor seemed to think it was some kind of brain tumor or something. I've been waiting for the hospital to call with an update," I explained.

"Aw, poor you.  Do you want me to just text your cell then so your line is free?"

"Yeah, that'd be great actually."

"Okay. Well, I still think you should go to school tomorrow, missy. Or maybe we'll both skip? I don't know.  See ya!" There was a click as she hung up on me.  I smiled.  It was such a Tonia thing to do.

"Who was that?" asked Aunt Karen, her attention still captured by her cell phone.  I momentarily wondered if her fingers ever grew tired?  My bet was that her fingers had enough muscle to beat ironman in a thumb wrestling competition.  

"It was my friend, Tonia.  You remember her, right? She's the one that spilled juice all over your white skirt," I answered, smiling at the pleasant memory of my 5th birthday party.

"Oh. Her." Aunt Karen grimaced, as if the thought of my pesky little friend brought about a foul odor.

"What do you mean, 'Oh, her?' " I questioned, my voice raising.  "I thought you got over that."

"It was a five-hundred dollar, one-of-a-kind skirt!" she hissed, her voice escalating.

"Funny. I've seen the exact same one at Wal-mart."

"You must be mistaken," she huffed.

 RING!! went the phone.  We both froze, and my heart lurched into my throat.  I sent up a quick prayer for the second time that day and picked up the reciever.

"Hello?" I forced myself to say, practically choking on my own words; as if they were the venom that would posion my family.

"I'm looking for Hadia Luv?" said a polite, yet soothing voice.  My heartbeat quickened, and time seemed to slow to a crawl.

"This is she," I answered, my eyes starting to fill with tears of worry.

"This is Amelia Beckett from the Northshores Catholic Hospital.  I have information concerning you mother, Mrs. H. Luv.  We've recieved the reports and a doctor has made a diagnosis.  I'm sorry, dear, but your mother has a very rare type of brain tumor.  She very well may never be able to walk again.  Now the prognosis is a tad..."

The phone slipped throuh my fingers and fell to the ground with a resounding thud.  My life seemed to suddenly snap into focus.  My head grew dizzy with the weight of my mother's diagnosis.

"Hello? Are you still there, ma'am?" came the voice from the reciever, lying crookedly on the ground. Aunt Karen bent down to pick it up.

"I'm sorry about that, my neice seems to be a bit shocked.  Could you please repeat what you just said?"

Tears ran freely down my face as I blindly reached for a chair.  How could I hold myself up at a moment like this?  All I wanted to do was curl up in a ball and weep.  Somehow, standing when my mother couldn't, felt relative to a betrayal.  My legs trembled as I sat, and sobs racked my body.  Nothing would ever be the same.

One thought was a bright light in the darkness.

I knew I'd find a cure, no matter the cost. 

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Sorry for the long wait everyone! I've been busy with soccer.  Also, I apologize that this is such a short chapter, and kind of boring.  But its important.

                                                                                    ~Britski <3